Avoiding other dogs when on walks?
No one is enjoying the leashed walks. Your dog may be barking or lunging, hurling nasty names at other dogs walking by. Maybe you’re walking your dog only at 5am and at 10pm or just actively avoiding other dogs when out on walks. It’s stressful for everyone.
Is there a path toward quieter walks where your dog isn’t pulling and you can both relax?
Lions, Tigers, and Puppies?! Oh My!
Most of us have only thought of puppies as sweet, soft, yummy smelling bundles of happiness. And, they are… mostly. What is not as often discussed is that, with those sharp puppy teeth, it can feel like living with little piranhas, or alligators, or lions and tigers!
Give ‘em something to think about
Do you feed your dog his food in a bowl? If so, you’re missing an opportunity to challenge your dog to think, thereby, tiring his body. Giving your dog his food in a puzzle toy requires him to work, and to think how, to get his food (and to enjoy it even more!). It’s also likely to take him 30 minutes to an hour to eat, rather than gobble his meal in 3 minutes.
Diggin’ Dog?
Is your dog digging holes in your yard? With any problematic behavior, we must always first consider the “why”. Why is your dog digging? Might he be bored? Or is it just fun?
What to do about Noise Phobias
Thunder & Fireworks Fears
For years, I lived with a dog with both. Thunder, especially, was trickier because it could happen anytime during the day while we were at work or school. As soon as one person in our family heard the thunder, we’d text each other to find out who could get home the soonest to be with Buffy.
Crate Training Magic
Have you ever noticed that many dogs choose to sleep under something like a table or curl up in a ball with their shoulder bolstered into a corner? Dogs are, by nature, den animals. Crates can be an excellent way to provide a den for your dog – a safe, quiet place to “turn off” and take a break. Some dogs immediately enjoy the confines of a crate but others take some convincing.
5 ways to help your foster dog get adopted
You’ve brought a foster dog into your home — thank you! You’ve probably heard this along the way but, fostering saves lives. Hands down. 100%. Now, what can you do to help your foster be a well-mannered guest in your home while also teaching him/her good life skills to get adopted quickly, and stay adopted?
Stuck inside? 8 activities to play with your dog
You’ve probably noticed that dogs seem to live in, what I call, present time. They are not thinking about what they are going to do tomorrow or what might happen to the world next week. They are thinking about what’s happening here and now. We can learn a lot from our dogs. Play with them and be with them. Enjoy the moment with your dog and live in the now, without worrying about tomorrow. You’d be surprised how the benefits multiply — a positive, healthy type of contagion.
The Power of YES
We all use different, though often similar, ways to tell our dog that he is a “good dog”. It makes us feel warm and loving toward our dog when he behaves in a manner that we like. And, our dog usually enjoys hearing us speak this love language with ears back, tail wags and kisses.
What does it mean to socialize my puppy?
We hear it all the time -- it’s important to “socialize” your puppy. But, what exactly does that mean? We, humans, socialize with other humans at parties and gatherings and it generally means that we make small talk, network, or peacefully “hang out” together.